To reach the city, Farragut had to sail his ships past two Confederate forts on the Mississippi River.

为了到达这座城市，法拉古特不得不乘船经过密西西比河上的两个联邦军要塞。

They knew they could not defend against the bigger Union force. Only civilians remained. Farragut captured New Orleans without a fight.

他们知道抵抗不了规模更大的联邦军。剩下来的都是平民。法拉古特没有开战就占领了新奥尔良。

Several weeks before Farragut captured New Orleans, a new kind of navy battle was fought off Hampton Roads, Virginia. It was the first battle between iron ships.

法拉古特占领新奥尔良前的几周时间里，一场新的海军战斗在弗吉尼亚州的汉普敦水道展开。这是铁船之间的第一场战斗。

As Secretary of the Navy, Whitney, who found the fleet composed of a few useless hulks left over from the days of Farragut, created the fighting force that did such efficient service in the Spanish War.

作为海军部长，惠特尼发现舰队是由法拉格特时代遗留下来的几艘无用的船体组成的，他创建了一支在西班牙战争中发挥如此高效服务的战斗部队。